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(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet l. y

E. W. HARDEN u M.- R. CONWAY..

STEAM ENGINE.

No. 469,563. Patented Feb. 23, i892,

ma Model.) e sheets-sheet 3. E. W. HARDEN 8v M. R. CONWAY. STEAM ENGINE.

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Slgeets-Sheet 4. E. W. HARDEN su M. R. CONWAY.

Patented Feb. 23,1892.

(No Model.)

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E. W. HARDEN & M. R. CONWAY.

' STEAM ENGINE.

No. 469,563. Patented Peb. 23, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD Xlr. IIARDEN AND MICHAEL R. CON\VAY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO FREDRIC C. VEIR, OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,563, dated February 23, 1892.

Application tiled March 24, 1891. Serial No. 386.247. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD IV. I-IARDEN and MICHAEL R. CONWAY, citizens of the United States, and residents of Cincinnati,in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a compound engine in which the entire area of one side of the piston is subjected to the action of steam of low pressure and a piston-face of smaller area upon the opposite side is subjected to the action of live steam of high pressure, with the valve and ports so arranged that the steam from the live-pressure end is delivered directly onto the opposite end of the piston to exert pressure thereon during the return stroke.

The invention also has for its object to otherwise improve compound engines, as will fullyhereinafterappear. To accomplishthese obj ects our invention involves the features of construction and the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa side elevation of our improvenient in position for use with parts of-the jacketing cut away. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the valves and cylinders and pistons. Fig. 3 is a section on line x Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a topplan view of the cut-off valve. Fig. 5 is a section on line y y, Fig. et. Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 4C. Fig. 7 is a top plan view ofthe main valve. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the same, showing the crank for reciprocating it. Fig. 9 is a cross-section of the main and cut-off valve in the closed position. Fig. 10 is a similar section showing one position of the valve at full opening. Fig. 11 is a similar section showing the valve closed. Fig. 12 is an enlarged section showing position of the parts for the first portion of the full opening at the initial point of movement. Figs. 13 and 14 are reduced sections showing the position of the valves completely cut off and at either end of the minimum stroke. Fig. 15 isa section on line o o, Fig. 11, showing a bottom plan view of the cut-oft valve. Fig. 1G is a plan view of the eccentric operating the cut-off valve.

The drawings, with the exception of Fig. 17, represent a duplex upright engine, which is the preferred form of construction.

A represents the bed-plate; B, the duplex crank-shaft; C. the journals thereof; D, the iiy-wheels; E E the connecting-rods.

F F' represent differential pistons reciprocating in cylinders G G. The preferred form of constructing said pistons is to provide a tubular sleeve II, guided by the sub-cylinders I.

.I represents a disk, to which the couplings K of the connecting-rods E E are respectively pivoted.

1 represents the face of the piston, the entire area of which is subjected to the action of the low-pressure steam.

2 represents the face of the minimum side of said piston, which is reduced in area by the sleeve H and which receives the force of the high pressure of the steam. The preferred form of operating said pistons is by means of the main valve M and the cut-off valve O. Valve M is reciprocated in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of the pistonsthrough the medium of the eccentric P, connecting-rod R, crank T, oscillating on the center t, crank f, connecting-rod r, crank o, rock-shaft w, crank n, which crank engages with the notch h in the end of the valve M. These rock-shafts and crank-connecting rods (see Fig. S) may be variously modified, the object being to have the eccentric P to move thevalve M back and forth a full throw each revolution, and when the auxiliary valve O is used, which is the preferred form, this full movement of the main valve is constant; but it is obvious that a governor could be employed to regulate the throw of the main valve to cut off at part stroke without affecting the general principles of the operation of the pistons. This auxiliary valve is only made a feature of the invention when specifically mentioned in the claims hereto annexed.

The eccentric P is the ordinary fixed eccentric; but it is obvious the ordinary adjustable eccentric may be used with a shaft-governor, if desired. The main valve is shown of the IOO griddle form, having ports 3 and 3 for admitting the steam Valternately to two different pistons. Y As shown in Fig. 2, port 3 is open, passing steam through port4 to piston F admitting it upon the smaller area 2 at the initial point of starting for the upstroke. The low-pressure steam upon the opposite side in the chamber 5 of cylinder G" will be escaped through the steam-passage 6 and recess 13 into the exhaust steam chamber 7, from whence it is conveyed off by the ordinary escape-pipe. Piston F is shown at the end of its upstroke and commencing to return. The steam which has actuated it in the chamber 8 will be voided through the passage 9 into the recess 10, thence through the passage l1 to the upper face of the piston 1 where the expansi-ve force of the steam will` act `upon the piston on its downstroke. The valve having moved to the opposite side ofv the valvechamber will assume the reverse position to that` shown in Fig. 2, when piston F will receive the directl or high-pressure steam, and piston F will be acting under the low pressure by the delivering of steam through the passage 4 into the recess 13, and by passage 6 into the cylinder G. Thus the two pistons are` being actuated in opposite directions at the same time, the one being driven by the live steam, While the other is driven by the low-pressure or expansive forceof the steam. If desired, the main valve may be made to cut oft at partl stroke by means of the shaft-governor and use its steam expansivel y during part of its upstroke by cutting oft' a part stroke in the usual manner; but We prefer to employ an auxiliary governor of cut-off valve O. Its upper seat is shown as having three, passages, the ports 14 15 16, and two passages 17 vand 1S, which supply steam to the ports or passages 19 in the valve O. In order to balance said valve against the pressure of the steam, we provide a series of passages 21 in the lower seat 22, and the under face of the valve is provided with a'series of recesses 23, so that the upward and downward pressure of t-he steam shall be equal. The passages 19, in connection'with the passages 17 and 18, also form anotherV important office of admitting the steam into the ports 14. 15, and 16, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 12. The griddle construction with the ports and passages in the valve and valve-seat allow the steam to be admitted andcut off'by the series of ledges or flanges e quickly and during the initial movement. This auxiliary or governor valve is 'operated by an ordinary adj ustable shaft# eccentric controlled by a governor. The eccentric is shown in Fig. 16. It is provided with a slot so as to" oscillate over the main shaft B, and may be set so` as to have its movements from minimum to maximum. By having the series of ports or passages 19 and the series, of'points of admitting steam it will come to full opening in a very short part of its movement. As constructed, less than oneeghth of the forward movement of the valve brings it to a full opening, and this opening remains constant when the valve is making its full stroke until it has arrived near the opposite end of the stroke, when it quickly closes. If a less amount of steam is desired, the governor adjusts the eccentricv so as to shorten up the stroke of the valve, which may be from minimum to the full stroke, according to the position of the eccentric 24. (Shown in Fig. 16.)

t represents the center of the shaft.

Zt represents the center of the eccentric at its minimum stroke, in which position the valve is admitting little or no steam during its entire movement. As the eccentric is adjusted from k to Z, the amount of steam is increased until it arrives at Z. It is maximum when the fullv opening is obtained and. the full throw of the valve.

The dotted line p in Fig. 12 represents the maximum throw of the valve, the point o on the valve traveling from t to Z, corresponding with the lines 'Z Z inFig. 16, and the` points Zt s will represent the minimum ot' the valve, corresponding to t k, Fig. 1,6.

Fig. 9 shows the position of the main valve when it commences to admit steam from the passage 3 into the passage 4 and the auxiliary valve j ust commences to admit steam through the ports 14, 15, and 16 into the chamber In Fig. lO the valves have moved to the full opening' at the point of cut-oft`the pistons continuing to full stroke, when they will b e reversed, as shown in Fig. 2. The movement of thevalve O is such that at a complete forward and backward movement the valve opens twice, .once to supply steam to eachv piston. The valve O in Fig., 9 is atl its initial-position, and as it starts forward it commences to open and is at full opening when it has reached the position shown in Fig. 12. Where the ledges are midway between the edges of the ports 14, 15, and 16, theauxiliary ports 19 are supplying an equal amount of steam to the main ports, the combined opening of the auxiliary and main ports being equal to that of the passage 14. When the valve has passed the central position, Fig. 12, it commences to 4cut out the auxiliary ports 19, at the same time increasing `the main ports in proportion to the decrease of the auxiliary, thus maintaining the opening constant. It continues tolinove until, as shown in Fig.` 10, itV has full opening, the auxiliary ports being entirely jcut out, whenit begins its return movement. .This full openingv continues until the valve has moved backward on its return stroke to the position shown in Fig. 12, When it com# vmences to cut off by the sameoperation as it did in admitting' the steam, cutting off both at the auxiliary and at the main ports, until;

is ready to admit steam again to supply the,

opposite cylinder with live steam, Fig. 11 be- IOO IIO

ing the reverse position of the valve to Fig. 9. The valve continues in this direction until the reverse position to Fig. 10 is reached, when it returns.

Figs. 13 and 14 show the auxiliary valve at the two extremes of its minimum movement. It will be observed that the valve moves from the position shown in Fig. 14 to the right to the position shown in Fig. 13 without admitting any steam. This would represent the minimum movement of the valve when the eccentric is at its minimum point of adjustment. e

` In Fig. 15, the plan view of the upper seat of the auxiliary valve, steam is admitted through one of the pipes 25, the other one being closed. Two pipes lare shown simply for convenience of connecting either side of the valve-chamber.

2G represents a chamber for admitting steam all around the valve, and it passes from thence through the passages 17 and 1S, from which it is admitted into the auxiliary ports 19, and thence into the ports 14, 15, and 1G, as before explained. The lower seat Vof the valve is the counterpart of the upper seat shown in Fig. 15 for the purpose of balancing the same. The cut-off valve is operated by the governor-eccentric 24, the stem 28 being pivoted to the crank-arm 29 of the rock-shaft 30.

`31 represents crank-arms upon opposite ends of the rock-shaft 30, which operate the valve through connecting-rods 32, crank-arms 33, rock-shafts 34, and crank-arms 35, engaging with the slots 36 in the opposite sides of the valve. (See Fig. 3.) The valves being thus operated by crank-arms on opposite sides eect a regular parallel movement.

The better form of construction for the main ports 14 15 16 is to have the lower sides of said ports, twice the area of the upper sides, so that when the valves are in position shown in Fig. 12 the area of the admission at lower surface is equal to the area of delivery at upper side, or when the valves are in position, as shown in Fig. 10, the area is not increased by moving the valve to the extreme right, as the upper portion of said ports are of desired area.

The advantage of admitting steam to the piston quickly at the initial movement of the valve is very important and produces a maximum effect upon the piston at its initial movement. Then constructed as herein shown, the piston will receive its maximum amount of steam before it has moved appreciably. It will also be observed that our auxiliary valve is a hollow valve receiving steam from each end into a trunk which supplies the main ports, and that the auxiliary ports take their steam from passages in the exterior of the valve, and we believe we are the first to make a shell auxiliary valve for this purpose, taking steam from both the inside and outside of the valve.

Our controllin g-valve M is a three-way valve, whether used singly or duplex. It is provided with two cut-offs and a single port, whereby the three movements of steam are obtained: Iirst, the live steam onto the lesser piston; second, the delivery from that end to the larger area; third, the escape from the larger area to the exit-chamber. Said valve is provided, either in single or duplex form, with the delivery-ports passing through said valve and admit steam to the pistons, said ports registering with the passages through the steamchest, thus making a balanced slide-valve. It will be observed that the valve M is duplex, or each end is the counterpart of the other, 'and that in operation it is worked at right angles with the axis of the tw pistons, with which it is common, and while itis admitting the high-pressure steam to one piston it is supplying the opposite end of the opposing piston with the expansive force of the same steam which has been previously applied to the opposite end of said piston. It will also be observed that the live steam in the valveports 3 and 3 is utilized expansively on the opposite end of the piston instead of being exhausted.

Having described our invention, what we claim is- 1. The combination, with the compound cngine having two differential pistons working alternately, of the duplex controlling-valve M, moving at right angles to the axis of the piston, and suitable ports and cut-offs for operating alternately one piston under high pressure of the steam on one side while the other side of the piston is exhausted and the opposite piston is being driven in the opposite direction by the low-pressure or expansive force of the steam, each piston utilizing thelive steam expansively on its opposite end during its re- ICC turn stroke and each exhausting alternately into the common chamber 7, substantially as described. 1 Y j 2. The combination, with two differential compound pistons, of the controlling-valve M, provided with the two ports 10 and 13, arranged in relation to the corresponding ports 4, G, 9, and 11 and each alternately communieating with the exhaust-steam chamber 7, and the ports 3 and 3', communicating alternately with the ports 4 and 9, substantially as dcscribed.

3. In combination with the compound engine having two differential pistons,a common steam-chest, and the duplex controlling-valve located between the pistons and moving at right angles to the axis thereof and provided with ports and cut-oifs for operating one piston alternately under the high pressure of the steam while the opposing piston is being operated by the low-pressure or expansive force of the steam, substantially as described.

4. In a compound engine, the combination, with a pair of piston-cylinders, of an exhauststeam chamber interposed between and common to both ofthe cylinders, suit-able ports, and a controlling-valve reciprocating in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of the pistons and admitting steam alternately to the cylinders and alternately directing the escaping steam from the high-pressure to the low-pressure ends of the pistons, said pistons working alternately and voiding the escaping steam into the interposed exhaust-steam chamber, substantially as described.

5. In a compound engine, the combination, with a pair of piston-cylinders, of a steamchest interposed between the cylinders and having an exhaust-steam chamber 7 and ports 4, 6, 9, and 11, anda controlling-Valve M, reciprocating'in a plane at right angles to the plane ofy movement of the pistons and admitting steam alternately to thev cylinders and alternately directing the escaping steam from the high-pressure to the low-pressure ends of the pistons, said pistons working alternately and voiding the escaping steam into the exhaust-steam chamber, substantially as described.

6. In a compound engine, the combination, with a pair of piston-cylinders, of a steamchest interposed between the cylinders and having ports leading to a common steam-exhaust chamber, and a Valve reciprocating at right angles to the plane of movement of the pistons to operate one piston under high pressure and the other piston by the low-pressure or expansive force of the steam, substantially as described.

7. In a compound engine, the combination, with apair of piston-cylinders havingthe central steam-exhaust chamber 7 and the pairs of steam-ports 4 and 6 and 9 and 1l, which respectively connect with opposite ends of the two cylinders, of the controlling-valve M, re-` ciprocating in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of the pistons and provided with the ports 10 and 13 and 3 and 3 for admitting steam alternately to the cylinders and alternately directing the escaping steam from the high-pressure to the low-pressure ends of the pistons, substantially as described. l

8. The combination, with a pair of pistoneylinders, of an interposed steam-chest having an exhaust-steam chamber and ports leading to the opposite ends of the cylinders, a controlling-valve M, reciprocating in' a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of the pistons, and an auxiliary shell-valve O, having two or more exterior and interior ports, two or more passages 19, and four or more cutoff ledges c, substantially as described.

9. In combination with the differential piston having the three-Way controllingyalveM, the auxiliary shell-valve having two or more ports passing through thevalve, and two or more ports over the exterior of the valve, each inside and opposite port directingl the steam to the main valve M, substantially as described. l

. 10. In combination with the duplex differential pistons havingA the three-way control- `ling-valve M, the ports 3 3', leading through saidvalve, thev recesses IO and 13 overl said valve for regulating and controlling the direction ot' steam through the steam-chest, and the shell slide-valve having oneor more interior and one or more opposing exterior ports admitting steam intoa common port through the seat of the valve andy providedwith a series of steam-passages 21 on the opposite side of the valve for-maintaininga balanced pressure within the valve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

EDWARD W. I-IARDEN. MICHAEL R. CONWAY. XVitnesses:

C. W. MILES, T. SIMMONS. 

